🌀 Pentarch Cluster Lore The Krenn: Shadows of Andromeda Posted on: [9/21] | Filed under: Species, Politics

Introduction

To understand the wars that scar the Pentarch Cluster, one must first understand the Krenn. Brutal, disciplined, and relentless, the Krenn are not merely a species but a philosophy of conquest. They rose from the frozen world of Rav’thar in the Andromeda Galaxy and spread outward, forging empires through subjugation. Their first major conquest — the peaceful Thryssali — was what finally drew the wary eyes of the Zorathians upon them.

Origins on Rav’thar

Rav’thar is a world of extremes: long winters, fractured tectonics, and an atmosphere dense with sulfuric traces. Life there was a crucible. The Krenn evolved as endothermic predators, their physiology designed to conserve heat and withstand deprivation.

• Exoskeletal Reinforcement – Dense, armor-like plating beneath the skin.

• Metabolic Resilience – Ability to survive on meager resources for weeks.

• Cultural Ethos – Survival at all costs, even if it meant consuming their own.

It is said that “hunger forged the Krenn” — both literally and culturally.

The Thryssali Conquest

The Thryssali were an aquatic-arboreal species who thrived on the moon Sel’vora, a water-rich world orbiting a gas giant. Known for their crystalline architecture and peaceful artistry, the Thryssali lacked standing armies.

The Krenn descended upon Sel’vora in a campaign lasting only four years:

• They drained oceans to expose settlements.

• They weaponized disease against clustered populations.

• They dismantled Thryssali culture, erasing archives and repurposing crystal cities into fortresses.

Few Thryssali survived. Those who did became genetic test subjects, their DNA repurposed to strengthen Krenn adaptability.

This act horrified the Zorathians, who had watched from afar but not intervened. The fall of the Thryssali was the moment the Zorathians realized the Krenn were not a local predator — they were a galactic threat.

Political Order of the Krenn

Krenn society is built on a stratified militarism:

• The Dominion Collective – A small body of warlords who govern strategy and expansion.

• The Veyr-Korr (Blood Houses) – Lineages bred for command, claiming ancient rights to lead campaigns.

• The Dravh (Claw Castes) – Soldiers and enforcers; the largest portion of the population.

• The Serviles – Conquered peoples forced into labor, experimentation, or front-line attrition roles.

Individuality is suppressed in favor of collective strength. To be Krenn is to fight, to serve, or to die.

Philosophy of Conquest

The Krenn believe in “Thrykal’thess” — “The Hunger Without End.”This doctrine teaches that survival depends on continuous expansion. Stagnation invites weakness; mercy invites annihilation. Every species they encounter is judged not as an equal but as a resource.

• If useful, enslaved.

• If weak, consumed.

• If dangerous, destroyed.

It is not hatred that drives them, but cold necessity — a hunger carved into their very evolution.

Zorathian Response

The fall of the Thryssali spurred debate within Zorathian High Command. Some argued for immediate intervention, others for watchful distance. The Oblivion Covenant emerged in this era, claiming that only by sabotaging their own empire could they deny the Krenn future conquests.

The Zorathians’ eventual decision to launch the Ark Ships into other galaxies was, in part, an answer to the Krenn’s expansion: a bid to scatter their people beyond reach should Andromeda itself fall.

Closing Notes

The Krenn are not monsters in their own eyes. They are survivors, shaped by Rav’thar’s unforgiving cold and sharpened by conquest. To them, the Thryssali were simply the first proof that the galaxy could — and must — be consumed. For the Zorathians, however, that conquest was a warning bell still ringing across the stars.

Next Entry: Caldwell 51: A Forgotten Race